D E W H

Private bankers used to be the go-to resource for the wealthy, offering clients everything from exclusive access to art gallery showings to dog walking services, and that is still often the case.

But credit card companies have also been getting into the rewards game for the high-flying set. A select few issuers have introduced credit card programs in the last few years for the most elite of consumers, those willing and able to spend $250,000 or more a year and put it all on plastic.

Some of the programs have an almost mystical allure, mainly because they are by invitation only and thus closed off to the hoi polloi. The American Express Centurion card, also known as the “Black AmEx,” is the subject of much speculation on Internet chat rooms. It does exist, but only 10,000 people are thought to have one.

Here are some of the most exclusive credit-card rewards programs enjoyed by the elite few:

Coutts & Co.’s World Card
The bank to the queen, now a part of Royal Bank of Scotland Group, has arguably the most prestigious card of all. World Card is offered only to Coutts clients, and you have to have millions to qualify for that status to begin with. Aside from all the typical travel upgrades and luxury services, the card comes in handy when you need to go shopping at your favorite department store in the middle of the night. A quick call to a World Card service representative will arrange a private after-hours shopping session anywhere your little heart desires.

Stratus Rewards Visa
The “white card” is for people who aren’t impressed by special airport traveler lounges and upgrades to first class on—gasp—commercial airlines, people who will only go by private jet. Lucky, then, that Stratus (a division of Los Angeles-based Pro Sports & Entertainment) is a partner with Marquis Jet. US Bancorp in Minneapolis issues the card, which offers all sorts of other perks, such as personal shoppers, Abercrombie & Kent safaris and gift bags that rival those given out at the Oscars.

American Express Centurion
You have to spend at least $250,000 a year to even qualify for this card, but getting one puts you up there with celebrities and fellow rich folks. You get access to private jets or upgrades on regular airlines, hotel upgrades, a personal travel counselor, and all sorts of freebies and loyalty programs that are also available to AmEx’s lowly Platinum cardholders.

Citibank Ultima
This card is offered in Germany, Russia, Asia and parts of the Middle East and promises perks like travel in a private Gulfstream jet or a chauffeured Bentley, and the chance to rent a Ferretti 80-foot yacht with crew and pilot for a day at sea, or a Maserati Spyder for a 48-hour joyride. You can even book a private island with it. A similar card, the Diners Club Elite card, also issued by Citi, offers residents of the United Arab Emirates such perks as a one-on-one session with chef Harald Wohlfahrt, hard-to-get tickets to football games (that’s soccer in the U.S.) and the ability to lease a private jet with ten hours’ notice.

Source: Forbes.com

It figures. I get all excited when I hear the news that Playboy will soon be launching a local version of its raunchy magazine here in the Philippines, but then the ball drops… there will be no full frontal nudity.

I mean, WTF?!? Playboy with no full frontal nudity? To me, that seems like a Ferrari without the red paint. Or a Girls Gone Wild video without boobs. Or a cup of decaffeinated coffee. I mean, what’s the fuckin’ point?!?

Look… when you talk about Playboy, the first thing that comes into the mind of red-blooded men everywhere is the centerfold spread. The centerfold is the very first thing that we look for when we buy a Playboy magazine. For God’s sakes… Playboy is already synonymous with centerfolds of women with naked breasts! And now that the Philippines gets its own version, they take that away from us?!? I repeat… WHAT’S THE GODDAMN, FREAKIN’ POINT of buying Playboy in the first place?

And don’t give me that crap about reading the magazine for the articles. That comes later, when we’ve had our fill of the eye candy that we know is waiting for us inside those glossy pages.

Beting Dolor, the editor of Playboy Philippines, said that the men’s magazine will feature “anything under the sun of interest to men,” combining the work of investigative journalists and Palanca award-winning fiction writers. BUT THERE WILL BE NO FRONTAL NUDITY.

“Well… maybe one nipple”, says Dolor.

Playboy Philippines will be featuring Filipinas as “playmates”, but there won’t be anything close to the original versions of the famous men’s magazine which show full frontal nudity or genitalia. Why? Because it would be against Philippine business and cultural considerations.

Business? You’re talking about business??? Hell, I’m no businessman myself, but it comes to my mind that advertisers would be falling all over themselves to get into the pages of Playboy, once they see the popularity of the magazine and its sales figures soar into the high heavens.

But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe advertisers would be avoiding the magazine like President GMA avoids telling the truth if it has the kind of adult content that Playboy is famous for.

Without the full frontal nudity stuff, Playboy Philippines wouldn’t be much different from the local versions of FHM or MAXIM. And we’ve already seen some pretty raunchy stuff from those two magazines. People expect Playboy to be a lot different, because, well… it’s Playboy!

Dolor says that the Philippine version will be featuring typical Filipino beauties (but no celebrities), along with fashion, motoring, sports and technology articles. 30% of its content will come from the U.S. edition. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m kinda hoping that that 30% will include the bare-chested women, at least. Because we can’t expect anything better from the local version!

Now that the main attraction of the magazine has been taken away, will Playboy still become the top-selling men’s magazine in the country?

Alvin Jimenez, a well-known former magazine publisher who’s had experience working for the likes of FHM, T3, Men’s Health and GamesMaster magazines, probably says it best: “In the magazine industry, Palanca awards don’t necessarily equate to sales.”

THE NOTEBOOK:

"by the time you fall in love, it changes your life forever and no matter how you try, the filing never goes away"

MY BEST FRIENDS WEDDING:

"if you love someone, you say it right then out loud or the moment just passes you by"

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY:

"when you found that person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to begin right away"

DAWSON'S CREEK:

"if two people are meant for each other, it doesnt mean that they are meant for each other now"

The release of Tata Nano of Tata Motors (India), poor car list gets another new addition. Poor car because it is intended for average person plus the price is very cheap. The car has a three-cylinder 800-cc petrol engine with 33 bhp (power). A 30-litre fuel tank and four-speed manual gearshift. The Executive edition will come with air-condition but all have "pawis" steering (no power steering folks). A price estimate for USD-2,500.00. That is 100k flat in Philippine peso (@ Php-40/$ 1). Wow!

Compare to top cats (big motor brands) creation like the mini cooper of BMW and the smart car of Mercedes Benz taking the big price off would mean taking off it's features. Features like safety, power and prestige of owning a car.

For Pinoy owning a car is for necessity like this multi-cab. Pinoy necessity plus Pinoy creativity and ingenuity a scrap suzuki carry mini cab will become a passenger jeep or a mini multicab all purpose utility pick-up (haba ng description anoh :-) I've seen first hand what his scrap vehicle looks like. In cebu there are many shops specializing on refurbishing and customizing this vehicle. As they say other peoples junk is other peoples treasure. Junk as it may seen but it have many purpose for many Pilipino lives.

How to become famous? This is what many of our Kabayan wanted to be. They believe that fame is associated with good fortune. Fame may work good for many people like politicians, actors, artists, singers, athletes and ordinary people on their job place (also to bloggers)...etc.

One way of doing this (warning: do not attempt if you don't have the guts) is like Ellen Adarna a girl nextdoor face. She made her fame by posting (she did it excessively) her pictures at Friendster, MySpace, forums, blogs, and many other sites now she is a sensation. She became an instant celebrity in the internet world...is now the Philippines' queen of myspace. Adding to her fame is her appearance in the July 2005 and June 2006 covers of Candy Mag. (what a babe)

With all that publicity and follower comes the drawback of being famous...her pictures were distributed by stalkers, impostors (pretend their account are hers) and video maker (this is the dark side of fame). She was band from friendster thought if you search her name Ellen Meriam Go Adarna, the search would produce 20 plus account, all with the same name and her photo. Her blogspot address http://ellenmeriamadarna.blogspot.com was abandon. She received many bad comment from other people, like this one:

"she ignored me and the next thing i knew she's a bitch u myt get mad of her..cos she's totalli mean..i was blind at first..but now i know who that girl really was SHE behind her beauty"..read the full comment here.

Wow what a neutralizer?! The benefit and detriment of fame come in one package together. It is in the person's attitude in handling glory, be it good or bad....One wealth of advice "humble thyself to people you come across along they are the people you'll meet on your way back. (do this make sense :)

(I GOT HOLD OF OVER 400+ PICS OF HER, JUST LEAVE A COMMENT IF U WANT IT)

Edison Chen is a lucky bastard. Well, until his sex photos leaked, anyway. He gets to bang Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Maggie Q and Cecilia Cheung, for starters. It’s just unfortunate for all of them that the photos of their bedroom play have leaked out into the public.

The Edison Chen sex photo scandal has been called “the equivalent of the 9/11 disaster” for the Hong Kong entertainment industry. The sexually explicit pictures taken by Cantopop icon Edison Chen portray female singers and actresses during their most intimate bedroom activities. These pictures were not meant for public viewing, obviously, but were reportedly stolen from Edison Chen’s laptop when he took it to a computer shop for repairs. The images have been spreading like wildfire around Asia over the past few weeks.

In a business that carefully grooms starlets with innocent, virginal images, the scandal is threatening to destroy the victims’ careers and fortunes. The affair has proved to be a shocking revelation of the private lives of a new generation of celebrities, many of whom have been portrayed by PR agents as models for today’s youth.

More than 1,000 stolen pictures are circulating of the 27-year-old Chen and eight well-known women, including Maggie Q, Bobo Chan, Cecilia Cheung and Gillian Chung of the Twins singing duo.

The stars’ loss of dignity has been a big gain for entrepreneurial Chinese. Illegal downloads of the pictures are being sold on the streets in mainland China for prices ranging from 10 yuan ($1.40) to 30 yuan ($4.20). A lingerie producer on the island of Hainan has rung up roaring sales of knockoffs of the lacy underthings worn by Maggie Q in the pictures, according to the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis newspaper.

The scandal has also been gold for Hong Kong newspapers and magazines, which have printed examples of the pictures with the naughty parts obscured, sending their circulation soaring.